Brown Fat and How It Can Help Grow Healthy Hair

Many factors can affect hair loss.

This article explains how brown fat
might encourage healthy hair growth, and how a lack of it can be linked
to hair loss that develops from androgenetic alopecia.

Brown fat (brown adipose tissue) is found
deep down in the subcutaneous layer of the skin.
It's often referred to as "baby fat" too because it comprises as much
as 5% of the body weight in a newborn baby.

Brown adipose tissue
levels decrease with age. But, it has recently been discovered that it
is still present in adults - it's most abundant in younger women, and
much less so in older, overweight men.

So, basically this means that most men lack brown fat and do suffer
androgenetic alopecia, whereas most women and children have higher brown fat levels and don't suffer androgenetic alopecia.

I do not believe this is simply a coincidence.

The Science Behind This Idea

Research has shown that the follicles of vigorously growing
hair are embedded in a layer of brown adipose tissue. However, in people
with androgenetic alopecia, there's a lack of it around dormant
follicles: bald areas are mostly depleted of fat tissue, but in the
lower rear (occipital) region where hair loss does not occur, a thick
layer of fat tissue is present. And it appears that this loss of fat layer
occurs before follicle miniaturization and hair loss begins.

All of which strongly suggests that brown adipose tissue serves a supportive role for hair follicles and hair growth.

This type of hair loss develops due to skull bone growth (skull
expansion) which progressively constricts the blood vessels of the
scalp and reduces the blood supply required by the follicles to grow
hair. So it may well be that brown fat offers some resistance
against this process.

And I believe there are two possible reasons for this:

1. Angiogenesis (vascularization).

2. Cushioning effect against the skull expansion process.

1. Angiogenesis (Vascularization)

Brown fat encourages angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation). And that's important because hair undergoes a growth cycle. And during the growing phase of that cycle, follicles
will continuously try to grow deep down into the dermis of the skin
where they can receive an abundant supply of blood.

However, in those who suffer hair loss, this process is hindered by skull expansion. So,
if brown fat levels can be increased, this might create new blood
vessels and allow healthy hair to start growing again.

2. A Cushioning Effect

Given that a layer of brown adipose tissue will increase the
thickness of the dermis, it may provide a cushioning effect that can
reduce blood vessel constriction and increase scalp flexibility.

How Can You Increase Your Scalp Brown Fat Levels?

The omega 3 fish oils, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA
(docosahexaenoic acids) have been associated with BAT activity.
So, it may be that, by consuming a very high omega 3 diet, you can do
something to help your hair grow.

Perhaps the best evidence for this idea comes from the Inuit people
(Eskimos) who consume extremely high levels of omega 3 fish oils from
their diet, and have a very low incidence of androgenetic alopecia. Learn More? Ethnicity and Hair Loss.

You might be able to increase your levels of brown adipose tissue from omega 3 fish oil supplements containing EPA and DHA. Otherwise, omega 3 can be obtained from eating oily fish such as
salmon, mackerel, etc. Vegetarian sources of omega 3 can be obtained
from walnuts, pumpkin seeds, linseed (flax), etc.

Note: vegetarian
sources of omega 3 have to be converted to EPA and DHA by the body.

However, there is uncertainty as to how much omega 3 will get converted into BAT and then find it's way into your scalp.

So whilst diet might improve the growth of your hair, it's
sensible to try a number of ideas in your battle against baldness: the
hands-on techniques I successfully used to stimulate my own hair regrowth are now helping many
others to do the same - read reviews?

A Few More BAT Facts

BAT has the ability to produce heat without the need for shivering
and is of interest to scientists right now because it does this by
burning calories from normal fat (white adipose tissue). This means
that it may have an application in the weight loss industry.

Recent research shows that BAT is related to skeletal muscle.

BAT is brown because it is highly vascularized (i.e., it contains
blood vessels) and contains a large number of mitochondria (which
provide energy).

Exposure to the cold will activate BAT activity.

BAT may play a supportive role in successful hair transplants - learn more?